The Internet has created a perverse incentive that values interactivity over quality, and virality over accuracy. Comedian Stephen Colbert predicted this when he created the concept of “truthiness,” which is something that sounds or feels true even if it isn’t. Because social media is now the default news source for millions of Americans, this paradigm has crossed over into real life. I mean, there are people out here saying wild things on the web, like “the Mariners are winning the 2025 World Series.” That’s so demented as to be almost offensive.
Slightly milder but more persuasive is a series of viral Instagram reels and TikToks claiming that on June 5th, a bunch of laws banning the touching of cell phones while driving went into effect for drivers. These are called “No Touch” laws, according to these posts, and they contend that merely touching a phone while driving in any of a number of states will result in fines between $50 and $400.
You’ll be shocked to learn that this isn’t true. It’s also not entirely false. Like a bucket of movie popcorn, there’s a hard kernel of truth buried under a lot of buttery fluff. The idea that a bunch of legislatures in 30+ states got together to all pass a law over cellphones that would all begin on the same date is absurd, but that didn’t stop a lot of people from liking, sharing, and producing these videos.
What The Internet Is Claiming
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This video comes courtesy of an Instagram account with just 1,000 followers that makes personalized “wine glasses, tumblers, hoodies…” in Georgia. That’s not a great source of accurate information on changes to the automotive legal code, but it already has over 12,000 likes and 500,000 views. That video is actually just a remix of this one, from some random guy, and that version has 1.3 million views so far.
@realmelissasimo How do new laws just sneak in like that?!
The original actually comes from TikTok influencer Melissa Simonson, who normally tests beauty and home products. Her original has over 8 million views (compared to 818 views for the post before it and 1,225 views for the post after it), and in the video, she claims any sort of phone-touching will get you a ticket. Here’s the list of states according to Simonson:
This keeps spreading. Here’s someone with more than 400,000 views complaining that it’s unconstitutional:
@xitirayi But forget everything else going on in the world right now cause this is what’s important #xitirayi #fyp #viral #1stamendment #firstamendment #notouchlaw
Here’s another influencer’s post that shows slightly more details:
@_d_e_v_0_ #greenscreen recent no touch law that was passed in the listed states. Get in the know before you HAVE to know you feel me?
That specific TikTok seems to get its data from this post by a “humorist” on Medium, and it’s possible this is the original source for viral influencers of this information. Unfortunately, it seems like few people read the first paragraph of the post, which states:
No-touch laws are not new. Thirty states already had them when Pennsylvania joined them today, June 05, 2025. The laws make it illegal to touch your phone or to even drive with it on your lap.
You can probably see how this game of telephone got started.
The Actual Law That Went Into Effect On June 5th
If you’re a resident of Pennsylvania, this information is probably most relevant to you because on June 5th, a new restriction called “Paul Miller’s Law” was signed by Governor Josh Shapiro and therefore put into law. While nowhere in the actual bill do I see the words “no touch” used, the rules are consistent with what most other states have. Specifically, using a cell phone outside of an emergency is prohibited by state law in 31 states, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
The nuance that’s been lost by people on the web is that a new law in 30+ states wasn’t passed and signed into law all at once. Instead, there are 31 states that already had pre-existing laws on the books, many for years, and Pennsylvania just happened to be the 32nd state to join.
The law itself exists for a good reason, according to the PA DOT:
The law is named for Paul Miller, Jr., who was tragically killed in a crash with a tractor trailer in 2010 in Monroe County, as the result of a distracted driver who reached for their phone while driving. Since his death, Paul’s mother Eileen Miller has become a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving.
“Nearly 15 years ago, two Dunmore state troopers knocked on my door to tell me that my son was killed,” said Eileen Miller, Paul Miller, Jr.’s mother. “My son did everything right – he was killed by someone else’s unsafe choices behind the wheel. This law is for every family in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to experience two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by distracted driving. Paul Miller’s Law will be a beacon of protection for every driver and passenger in Pennsylvania.”
Paul Miller’s Law will also work to prevent bias in policing by requiring law enforcement to collect data on drivers pulled over during traffic stops, including race, ethnicity, and gender. The data will be made publicly available in an annual report.
Using your cell phone while driving is bad, as a cell phone isn’t designed for that. Instead, most people with modern cars plug their phones in and use CarPlay or Android Auto to answer texts or make phone calls, which is slightly better. That’s what I do on my newer Honda. On my older BMW, which has no large screens, I have a dock for my phone and use that for navigation, et cetera. That technically puts me at risk of a ticket both in Pennsylvania and in New York, where I live. While I try to touch my phone as little as possible when driving (and have an aftermarket system that allows me to control a lot of features from the steering wheel), it still does happen.
In fact, New York State Troopers handed out almost 23,000 tickets in one week for this in April, so I’m either discreet or lucky.
Either way, the reality is that these laws are not new for anyone outside of Pennsylvania, but the general substance of the law is good, no matter which state you live in, because distracted driving causes way too many accidents already.
Top graphic images: TikTok; depositphotos.com
What’s TikTok?
Something my wife and kids talk about.
The sound of the remaining seconds of your life disappearing, never to return.
As someone who has been in a life changing accident because of another distracted driver. Good, I wish they’d enforce these laws more and more harshly, $500 isn’t changing the fact that I now have a lifelong injury because some dude couldn’t get off Facebook.
My wife was PITed off the interstate by a 20 year old woman who was messing with her phone (the roadway made a curve to the right, the distracted driver continued straight).
Fortunately there was a berm between the north and southbound lanes that kept her out of oncoming traffic, and all the airbags did their jobs so she was sore for a few days but nothing long-term.
It did total our FR-S, though, and I’m still a little grumpy about that.
Glad she’s alright!
I said she was totalled.
Oh, my wife…
I remember having to give DT a heads-up about Australia’s zero-tolerance to handheld phone usage while driving.
We have had these laws for years, and the penalties are quite severe. In some cases, being caught using a phone handheld can see your licence suspended after only a couple of offences.
We also have infrared cameras positioned on freeway overpasses and also as movable units that can photograph from a high angle and use AI to detect if you have a phone on your lap or in your hand: https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/mobile-phone-detection-cameras-how-do-they-work
New drivers are also explicitly banned from any mobile phone usage while driving, even to set up music or navigation and can lose their provisional licence on the first offence: https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/roads-safety-and-rules/safe-driving/mobiles-screens-and-gps
I’m happy letting people like what they like, and especially letting the youts have their tik tok, but so much I’m seeing about tik tok seems so harmful (tik tok challenges) or spreading lies.
And a big thing with tik tok seems to be about repeating or replicating or remixing something you saw on tik tok. So you end up with entropic recursion like this.
Then there’s the app tracking you and sending that information to an enemy regime.
Wtf?
Then there’s the app tracking you and sending that information to an enemy regime.
They’re working with the US government now?
Here’s Google’s summary of Colorado’s new law:
Enforcement:
That’s certainly not a “no touching rule!” It’s a holding penalty, as in football. Think of the effect of a no touching rule- the average US vehicle is 11 years old, and 11-year-old vehicles had primitive mobile features built in. Older cars may have none at all. Should that half of the population be unable to use their phone in their car?
Many, myself included, use their phones for map navigation. Setting that up requires touching a phone; as the law requires, I do that mainly at stoplights. The problem comes when I’m trying to read a street name and the text is too small to read at a distance. Solution? Stop and pick up the phone. That’s still legal here.
Quality of life was so much better before social media. Some folks I know swear if it’s on TikTok or Facebook it must me gospel truth. Uuuuuuughhhh Every time I hear that word “influencer” I try not to puke and another dose of hope that I have for humanity dies.
When in the car I set up music/podcast/nav before I depart. I can control the music and podcast from the wheel controls. I do not answer email while driving. Messages are through voice command as are calls. If I need to update the nav, I pull over. Driving requires all one’s attention why risk an accident for some frivolous social interaction.
In terms of social media, the internet has been around for a very long time now and has not changed much in the decades since it’s founding. I was on many of the early networks (BBS, proprietary IBM, DEC and the internet). People are people and will constantly strive for power, status or attention. The internet simply provides a larger more available media to work with.
CB Radio brought up a few weeks back had a certain percentage of horrible people who frequented it.
My rule of thumb is to rigorously fact check, avoid obviously suspect channels (FB, Insta, Twitter/X, TikTok, and use a measured approach to internet usage. I do spend a significant portion of my day on the internet and computers due to the nature of my work and have occasionally been taken in by well crafted BS.
Dont mess with your phone while driving. Think of how you’d feel if you caused a serious accident and had to live with the consequences. Sure it will never happen to you, but why take the risk.
Good point I wonder if the MSM giving up truth, honestly, and journalistic integrity has allowed bloggers and scam artists to take over. Granted Jon Stewart started this mess but you can’t convince idiots to accept the truth. I was just recently reading that Ford had the largest recall in their history due to their software. But it must be fake because I am sure I’d read it here before I read a recap of a fake cell phone law.
Jon Stewart started this mess? He’s on a comedy channel. What lies has he told? He pretty well just comments on the news. Well, apart from the time he represented 9/11 first responders to help them receive adequate compensation.
I can respect his takes for the most part, but he does have a tendency to go way off the rails on his podcast. Every third installment usually has about ten minutes of, “Umm, really? What the heck did you just say?” moments.
So, ya know, a podcast.
I think he meant Rush Limbaugh.
He’s dumb enough to worship Limbaugh, and also dumb enough to conflate the two.
(I’m not talking about Ford_Timelord)
Huh?